Activ Life Postcard [wellness tip #6]

Dear Activ Life enthusiast

Here is a beautiful and serene moment and this week’s Postcard; a lady embarking on a relaxing paddle on the calm Caribbean Sea under the golden glow of the setting sun. 

It also reminds me of my first attempt at paddleboard yoga. A time well before I became a yoga teacher. In fact, I think I had only practised yoga once or twice before this memorable experience on the water.

Somewhere between watching toned influencers effortlessly balance in warrior pose while smiling at dolphins, and reading a blog that called it “floating serenity”, I thought: I can do that. How hard can it be? Spoiler: very.

I arrived at the beach dressed like a Lululemon warrior: high-waisted leggings, unnecessarily expensive water bottle, and the misguided confidence of someone who’s never stood on a paddleboard while sober. The instructor was a calm woman named Jade, who looked like she was born doing downward dog on a moving canoe.

“Just feel the board beneath you,” she said, standing barefoot and effortlessly balanced like a Zen lizard.

Cool cool cool. I, meanwhile, climbed onto my board with the grace of a drunk flamingo mounting a surfboard. It wobbled like it knew I was faking it. I assumed child's pose to avoid vomiting from nerves.

We started with deep breathing and gentle stretches. Okay, I could do this. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the water was gently rocking me into a false sense of security.

Then Jade said, “Let’s come into downward dog.”

At that point in my wellness career, I’d only attempted downward dog a handful of times - on solid ground. On a paddleboard? I looked like I was attempting an interpretive dance about furniture collapse. My hands were slipping, my feet were sliding, and the board was having an identity crisis. It wanted to be anywhere else. So did I.

But I persisted - until the wind picked up.

A gentle gust, nothing serious. Unless you’re half-upside-down on an unstable floating object. Then it’s a hurricane. I tilted. I squealed. I splashed. My sunglasses sacrificed themselves to the ocean gods as I plunged in like a panicked duck.

Emerging from the water like a confused swamp witch, I grabbed my board and clambered back on with the enthusiasm of someone climbing onto a banana peel. Jade gave me an encouraging nod. Everyone else pretended not to laugh. I appreciated their cowardice.

We moved into warrior pose.

“Face your intention,” Jade said dreamily. My intention was not to die.

Balancing on one leg, arms outstretched, I felt… powerful. Centered. Maybe this was my moment.

Then a speedboat zoomed by.

Waves hit. Board wobbled. I flailed like an inflatable car dealership tube man during an earthquake. Another splash. At this point, I lived in the ocean. I was the ocean.

We ended in savasana, lying flat on our backs, floating gently on our boards. Finally. This I could do. I closed my eyes. I found peace. I became one with the water. And then a seagull pooped next to me.

Paddleboard yoga is a humbling journey. You will not look graceful. You will fall. You might even lose $80 sunglasses. But you’ll also laugh harder than you have in months, and get a workout without realising it.

Little did I know that I would go on to become a yoga teacher sharing my love for wellness around the world. And while I mostly teach on land, I’ve since returned to the paddleboard - and yes, I’ve even managed a few successful poses. (Just… no seagulls, please.)

Looking for wellness activities and ideas that keep you dry? Join our WhatsApp group here.

Activ Life also provides support and coaching in nutrition, breathing, sleep training, meditation, and circulation (as well as yoga and Pilates) for your workplace. Our unique online program is called Work Wellness; a daily wellness reminder to keep employees happy, healthy and performing at their best. Email louise@theactivlife.com for further details.

Your favourite travelling yogis

Louise and Sarah